Device for the hydraulic transmission of power



May 21, 1946; G. ALTHOFF 2,400,522

DEVICE FOR THE HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSIbN OF POWER Fil ed Dec. 21, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 1' Fig: 1

Fig.8

INVENTOR Ma 21,1946.' I

G. ALTHOFF I N VENTOR May 21, 1946. G. ALTHO-FF 2,400,622

DEVICE FOR THE HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION OF POWER Filed Dec. 21, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet. 3

INVENTOR Patented May 21, 1946 UNITED DEVICE FOR 'rrm HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION OF rowan George AlthOlLLOl Angeles, cam. 7 Application December 21, 1944, Serial No. 569,232

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for the hydraulic transmission 01 power,

and refers particularly to the type in which a bladed member. attached to a driven shai't comprising the impeller member or rotor rotates within a stationary closed casing containing fluid, the

bladed portion of said rotor being so formed as to force the fluid by centrifugal force against a second bladed member attached to a shaft comprising the impelled member or rotor in such manneras to rotate said impelled rotor whereby rotation is imparted to a shaft.

The objectives of this invention are:

The provision of means to develop a continuous cylindrical circuitous circulation of the fluid medium through a path or minimum impedance intercepted by means whereby the direction of flow oi the fluid is deflected at will to an angle to the general line of the current flow;

To provide such a device wherein the torque exerted on a driven shaft may be varied from zero to a maximum through means oi. a directional fluid control member through which the fluid passes in its cylindrical circuitous course from the impeller rotor to the impelled rotor without varying the speed oi rotation of the impeller rotor;

To provide such a device wherein the direction of rotation of the impelled rotor may be reversed independently of the direction of rotation of the impeller rotor and with means of protecting the mechanism of the device against sudden and extreme strains in the process of reversing the ,di-

rection of rotation of the impelled rotor.

To provide the means of complete immediate positive responsive control of all moving parts of the directional fluid control member directly from one contact point of control impulse extemal the stationary case member with complete freedom from the movements of the impeller and impelled rotors;

To provide means whereby two primary positions of adjustment of the directional fluid control member can be made permitting discretion of immediate control of forward or reverse rotation of the impelled rotor from an idle condition and with the i'acility oi the revolvable'shutter vanes 01 said control member obtain greatest flexibility of intermediate adjustments in the manipulation and control of the device to the discretion oi'the operator; t

'Io provide a device of the class described that may be constructed ior'a relatively low cost with a high factor or safety in operation that is quietand eiilcient in'periormance and economical to 66 a device of large size were use, and. that its compactness and simplicity atiords easy adaptation to universal application as a separate power conversion unit as described or as a component part in a combination of power transmission;

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a central, lon'gitudinal, cross-sectlonal view of the device comprising this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the bladed driving member looking toward the bladed side;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the same taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a, cross-sectional view of one of the blades taken on line Q--4 of Fi 2; Fig. 5 is the same asFlg. 4, except it is online 5-! otFig. 2; I Fig. 6 is the same as Fig. 4, except it is taken on line 8-4 of Fig.2: 7 Fig. '7 is a view of the device taken on line l"| of Fi 1; x

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of one ofthev shutter vanes taken on line H 01' Fig.- l. Referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that the taken improved device'comprises a case composed-of two similar members It and II supported by legs I! and I3 respectively and becomes the station-i; ary member. or stator of the device. Mounted in the member II is an impeller rotor member. I said rotor member being hemispherical'and; cupped out from its center toward-its. edges-vinsuch manner as to form relatively thin curved: impeller blades or flns I! open at their top edges; As will be seen by reference to Figs. 2, 3 4 and 5; these blades I! start from a common center a q extend outward in a curve in the. directionthe rotation of the said member it. It will; seen that the blades II are also,curved;cross-.- sectionally the concave side being on the pelling side of the blade. The elosedside f member ll follows the contour of-thecase in ha her ii and it is desirable that only a very Q. space I. be provided between the in bers it; and it in order to maintain clearan While in Fig. I only a relatively l of the hemispherical 'rotor mem as flattened it is tobe understood U tive portion flattened maybe mere 1 desirable as would'be mussels th be-buil on pins ti.

able opening, not identified, to receive a driving shaft H, a bearing I8, and a packing gasket is, is provided through the case .n. er in. The outer portion of said opening has threads 20 which receive a nut 2|. The shaft i7 is held in position longitudinally by any means commonly used for that purpose and it may be connected to any source of driving power found satisfactory such as an electric motor. The member 56 is shown as being integral with the shaft H, but the two could be separate and of difierent material and joined in any satisfactory mer and such a construction is within the contemplation of this invention.

l'ounted in the member ii is a rotor member 39 said rotor member being mounted in the member i l in like manner as the member as is mounted in the member id. The memberfit is of the same general construction as that of the member it except the blades 3! have flat sides and extend radially and are cut away for a substantial depth in the area adjacent the central portion. The member 38 and its shaft 32 are integral but if found desirable may be separate. and joined in any manner found satisfactory. A packing gasket 99a is held in position by a nut 33 and the shaft 32 running in bearing flta is held in longi tudinal position by any means found satisfactory; This shaft 32 is also connected in any conventional manner to mec which it is to drive. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that a directional fluid flow" control member comprising a ring shutter mechanismis operatively attached to and becomes'a part of the stationary case member of the device and consists of a ring at supported centrally in a fluid compartment A The inner surface of the ring as is shown slightly concave in shape but can be easily modified to conform to the fluid flow characteristics according to its size, and the opposite side is convex. The pinsdl are flat sided and have mounted on them intermediate the ring 56 and the members it and i i shutter vanes 62 adapted to revolve and to direct the flow of fluid when the device is in operation. These pins ti and vanes 42 are spaced equidistant around the ring so and form a series of gates B through which, in the operation of the device an activated fluid flows from the driving rotor member it to the driven rotor member 30. The'inner end of the pin 5i terminates in around reduced portion 43 adapted to turn in a socket 43 formed in the ring Mite receive the said pin the inner end face of which is adaptable to the seat of socket it to support said ring it The pins a substantial distance into andbetween the members l9 and H and thus obtain a fixed position and relation with the stationary member of the device, said pins having gear wheels 46 keyed to or otherwise fastened to their outer portion the teeth of said gear wheels meshing with the teeth of a gear ring 41 mounted in a groove 48 formed in the member ll If found desirable the gears 56 may be made an integral part of the pins 48. The gear wheels 46 are actuated by means of a cooperating gear wheel 59 mounted on shaft 5d. Recesses 68 are formed in the member I to receive the gear wheels 49 and E5. The shaft W has near its inner end asquare portion or is otherwise formed so that when it enters a similarly shaped center hole in the gear wheel 49 the turning of the shaft 50 will cause the gear wheel to turn correspondingly. A hole Si is bored in the embossed portion 62 of member ID to receive the shaft ill and to cooperate with recess 50. In this embossed portion 62 is a threaded recess 63 adapted to receive a nut 64 which holds'a packing es in position. The members l0 and ii are formed with flanges 7d and H, respectively, each with bolt holes 712 which cooperate to receive bolts 73 whereby with nuts 18 members i0 and H are bolted together. A packing or gasket 35 is held between the members III and ii to prevent leakage of fluid. An intake hole is provided with thread adapted to receive a threaded plug 8i. Similarly a fluid outlet hole 83 provided with thread is adapted to receive a threaded plug 8E.

Simplicity of design allows wide discretion of op erating fluid used according .to the operating conditions prevailing and therefore the device is not limited to any specific liquid or fluid.

In operation the device may be set in neutral position in starting or it may be set in forward or reverse position. The driving or impelling rotor member it is driven in a counterclockwise rotation facing the open side of said member.- As the impeller is driven in fluid the fluid which lies between the blades 85 will be thrown by centrifugal force-along the curved faces of those blades toward the outer periphery of said member emerging from between said blades through the gates B into the member 30 and after expending its driving force against blades 35 it flows toward the center of said member 38, along the gradual slope C toward and into the center chamber A where it is again caught between the blades i5 to begin another cycle of circulation. The course of fluid circulation during the operation of the device is indicated by arrows in Fig. l. The outside longitudinal arc and outside circumferential arc of ring 40 have the same radius and are concentric as shown in Fig. 1, hence the outside surface of the ring is spherical. Because similar relations exist with the inner concave and circumferential arcs of the casing members it and I i at their point of juncture and they too are concentric respectively with ring 40 it is evident the space between the ring 40 and easing members 00 and H is bounded by spherical surfaces. Hence, the vanes 42 with their concave and outer convex curvatures conforming respectively to adjacent surfaces of the ring 80 and members I0 and I I and pivoted centrally on radial axes therebetween are free to revolve in either direction of motion. Thus, in consequence of no,

w as shownin Fig. 1 where control impulse is initiated.

. If operation is to be started in neutral position the shaft is turned by any external mechanism found adaptable until the'vanes 42 are held in a position so that fluid passing between them will be thrown with equal force against both lateral faces of the blades 3i and thus member 30 is not actuated in either direction. To start the driven or impelled rotor member 30 forward the vanes 42 are turned at an angle to deflect the fluid passing between them in a direction to strike against only one face of the blades 3| thus causing the rotor 30 to revolve in opposite direction from the face o f the blades against which the fluid pres-- ber 30 can be changed from none to its maximum without intermediate steps. To change the angle of the vanes 42 the shaft 50 is rotated which in turn rotates the gear wheel 49 whose teeth mesh with the teeth of one of the gear wheels 46 whose teeth in turn mesh with the teeth of the ring gear 41. The gear teeth of the ring 41 mesh with each of the wheels 46, accordingly, to manipulate the shutter vanes 42 the gear ring 41 is rotated in either direction by rotating shaft ill.

To reverse the direction of rotation of the impelled rotor 30 the vanes 42 are turned gradually in reverse to and through their neutral position until the fluid strikes against the opposite lateral faces of blades 3|.

Because the shutter vanes .42 can revolve they can be rotatedin either direction to and through twoextreme angular relations with the rotor 30. When gates B are open and vanes 42 have no angular direction against the blades 3i the fluid is not deflected and strikes both lateral faces of the blades and results in braking action, or, nonrotation of rotor .30. When gates B are closed and vanes 42 are --in 90 degree relation with blades 3| rotor 30 is without braking action and directional fluid power.

It is apparent that with gates B closed vanes 42 can be rotated directly in either direction and cause rotor 30 to revolve in the desired direction. However, if rotor 30 is revolving at high speed due to momentum or other obvious reason vanes 42 can be rotated to direct the fluid flow in agreement with the rotation of rotor 30 and bring it under control, or, if desired, vanes 42 can be rotated directly from the closed position to cause the fluid flow in opposition to the rotation of rotor 30 and thus apply immediate braking action and subsequent reversal of rotor 30 without passof a floor modelitis to be understood that the invention contemplates forming and adapting the device to work in connection with machinery of all types which may be found practical. Ob-

' viously the device can be modified by the addition, removal or substitution of parts and such modification do not depart from the spirit of the invention.

While I have shown the blades l5 and 3! as integral parts of the members l4 and 3., respectively. it is to be understood that they may be removably attached to said members and that if found desirable the blades l5 may be made to curve oppositely from that shown in Fig. 2

and the direction of rotation of the rotor member 14 may be reversed.

ing in reverse through changes from high speed high power condition to a stop position or reverse rotation of rotor ll.

Factors here made obvious and claimed to comprise the nucleus of this invention follow: The simplicity of design, control, operation, and application of the device. The simple facility of attachment of direct control of the device and of the device to service. The complete independence of movements of functional members of the directional fluid control means from movements of the impeller and impelled rotors. The flexibility of discretionary manipulation of the vrevolvable control vanes in either direction through the maximum range of movements actuated from a stationary contact point external the device.

Shaft ill protruding externally at embossment 62 provides a simple and convenient attachment means and aflords easy adaptation of manual or automatic control methods for operation, speed regulation or rotation reversal, or each in combination, whichever the user of the device may.

rflluire;

The use of gears as means of transmitting the control impulse from shaft 51 to pins'4l is discretional. Other common means, for example, a disk with a ball-pin on its face and a connecting crank link assembly couldbe substituted for the gears used and obtain full compliance with all requirements and references of the gears While the invention has been described in one particular form variations may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be not limited by said arrangement, nor any more than may be required by the following claim.

I claim:

A device of the class described for the hydraulic fluid control means, said casing consisting of two members held in bolted relation with a'gasket therebetween whereby leakage of fluid from be-- tween the members of the casing is prevented, said casing members having formed in their registering edge portions recesses which cooperate to receive and retain directional fluid control means supporting pins and also to receive gear .wheels mounted and supported on said pins, one

of said casing members also being recessed to receive a gear wheel and a revolvable shaft whereby said latter gear wheel may be revolved in mesh with one of the above referred to gear wheels. and the other of said casing members having its said recess sufllciently deep to receive a ring gear whose teeth mesh with the teeth of each of the said gear wheels mounted on said, v pins whereby rotation of said revolvable shaft will i impart a revolving motion to said pins; said im- -peller member consisting of a shaft mounted in suitable bearings and a hemispherical portion cupped out from its center toward its edges forming relatively thin curved impeller blades the concaved surface of said 'bladesbeing on the impelling side of the blades, said curved impeller blades starting from a common center and extending outwardly to the periphery of the impeller member in. a curved direction and extending in depth to the bottom of the hemispherical portion also in a curved direction the topedgesofsaidimp llerbladesandthetopof' the said common center portions being ubstantially in the same plane; said directional fluid control means consisting oi a ring mounted on pins which extend a relatively short distance into the fluid containing compartment oi said casina. a shutter vane mounted-on each of said pins and adapted to turn with the pin so as to present of a gear ring whose teeth mesh with the gear teeth of each gear wheel mounted on each of said pins whereby said vanes may be revolved in synehronism: said impelled member consisting of a shaft mounted in suitable bearings and a hemispherical portion cupped out from its center toward its edges forming relatively. thin straight blades said blades being substantially cut away at their inner portions: whereby power from an impeller member is transmitted to and impels a member throughv fluid means the fluid traveling in a cylindrical circuitous path intercepted by means whereby the direction of the flow is deflected at will to an angle to the general 15 line of current flow.

GEORGE ALTHOFF. 

